A mysterious iron dagger discovered inside one of the graves in a Tylos-era burial mound in Maqaba was revealed to the public by a team of Japanese archaeologists yesterday.
The first weapon to be unearthed in a Tylos burial, the artefact was unexpected because “the people of Tylos were peaceful”, said Nara Archaeological Mission leader Dr Kiyohide Saito.
Remains of an iron sickle and a ring, which was still on the skeleton’s finger, were discovered in another grave in the site known as ‘Maqaba burial mound number 1’.
The findings were presented by the archaeologists from Japan to villagers and history lovers in an open day meeting, as they do every year after the end of excavations for the season.
This was the mission’s seventh year excavating the site, which dates between 330 BCE and 300 CE (2,350 to 1,700 years ago) and contains around 100 smaller mounds.
At least one body was buried in each grave, and the bodies could belong to same family or clans in the Tylos society, experts theorise.
As of 2026, 52 tombs have been uncovered. From 2017 to 2025, 36 tombs were excavated, only six of which were left undisturbed by graverobbers of old.
In the 2026 season, five graves were excavated, and six more were discovered, to be excavated next year.
Pieces of a curious relic were spotted in one of the graves: fragments of a short iron sword or dagger. However, the burial appears to have been looted in ancient times, and contains no skeleton.
“Until now, I had never heard of iron daggers being buried as grave goods in the Tylos era,” Dr Saito told the public about the first-time find.
“We radio-carbon dated charcoal that was inside the same grave, and it is indicated that it was from the fifth to fourth centuries BCE.
“This age, between Dilmun and Tylos, is a very mysterious transitional period of which nothing is known.
“Is it likely to be a grave from Dilmun? It doesn’t appear to be,” he reasoned. “It has the structure of a Tylos-period grave.”
The short sword was recovered in five fragments, with two horn-like protrusions making up its hilt.
“The decoration is symbolic, but we don’t know what the motif refers to,” archaeologist Dr Mikishiro Matsuo told the GDN about the dagger’s two-pronged handle.
Dr Matsuo, who is specialised in the study of iron artefacts from ancient Japan, said that surveying and research were essential to learn more about the weapon.
However, the dagger was not the most interesting find in Dr Saito’s opinion. He told the GDN that he was instead excited about the sickle found in another grave.
The grave, which most likely belonged to a middle-aged man, was disturbed when it was looted by ancient thieves – so much so that the skull was separated from the body.
The sickle was tucked beneath his left armpit, with a metal ring worn on his left ring finger. A glazed pottery bowl was excavated upside down from the northern end of the burial chamber.
Dr Saito stated that the finding of an agricultural tool or a ‘vocational item’ was thrilling.
About 60 community members came to the 2,000-year-old cemetery to hear about the new finds, including area municipal councillor Tareq Al Farsani and other locals.
The open day was organised by the Archaeological Institute of Kashihara in Nara Prefecture, Japan, in collaboration with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca). Nine Japanese archaeologists took part in the mission.
This mound is only one of at least seven in the Tylos burial mound field located in Maqaba – at least 13 groups of mounded tombs have been identified in the northern area of Bahrain, including in Shakhoora, Abu Saiba, Hajar and Jannusan.
Although the team will return next year to continue its work on the site, Dr Saito said he is unsure about excavations beyond that, which will depend on the funding available for the mission.
There will be another open day on Tuesday in the A’ali West Burial Mound Field held by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and Baca.
The latest findings from the second season of excavations, which includes more than 700 mounds dating back to the Early Dilmun period, will be presented.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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